S. 4583, Medicare Price Deregulation / Two-Tier Care System. Quorum's AI analysis reads it as a net cost — and names who bears it.
S. 4583 · Net cost
What it does
This bill allows Medicare beneficiaries to sign private contracts with doctors and other health professionals to receive covered services outside the standard Medicare payment system. Under these contracts, patients can agree to pay whatever amount the provider charges (potentially far above Medicare rates), and the provider is freed from Medicare's payment limits and billing rules. The bill also prevents states from capping what providers can charge for these privately contracted services.
The analysis names pharmaceutical companies — and 4 more groups — among the beneficiaries.
The cost
Creates a two-tier Medicare system: wealthy beneficiaries can negotiate private contracts at potentially lower rates, while others remain in standard Medicare facing higher costs as providers migrate to private contracts.
The analysis put a high warning level on this bill. Transparency scores 65%, and the analysis found no provisions unrelated to the bill's subject.
Who is behind it
Filed by Rand Paul. Cosponsored by Lisa Murkowski.